Staande vrouw 1883 - 1922

This is "Staaande Vrouw," or "Standing Woman," by Johanna van de Kamer. Made with graphite on paper, the sketch presents a network of lines that dance across the surface. The composition is fragmented, with a figure suggested through a series of incomplete contours. Notice how van de Kamer destabilizes the traditional form of the human body. Instead of a cohesive representation, we see a collection of lines that only hint at a figure. This disruption challenges fixed meanings, inviting us to question what constitutes an image. Also take note of the geometrical shapes that bisect the picture plane, dissecting the figure and the surrounding space. These lines not only structure the composition but also serve as a semiotic device. Do they delineate a spatial environment, or are they abstract marks that underscore the artwork's underlying structure? The ambiguity here resists closure, prompting a continuous process of interpretation. It encourages us to engage with the work as an open field of possibilities.